Office-indicator.



PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

H. P. DAVIS.

OFFICE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.Z9,1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907. H. P. DAVIS.

2 SHBETSSHBET 2.

OFFICE INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED DEO.29,1906.

6 Q 5mm HENRY POWELL DAVIS, OF HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS.

OFFICE-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1907.

Application filed December 29, 1906. Serial No. 350,068.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY PowELL DA- vIs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hot Springs, in the county of Garland and State of Arkansas, have in vented new and useful Improvements in Oflice-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to oi'lice indicators, and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide means whereby a caller may ring a bell .and bring .into view a card indieating whether the owner of the mdicator is at home.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for ringing a bell; bringing into view a card to indicate the presence or absence of the person to whom the indicator belongs; to provide means for inserting a card within a casing, and to provide means for lighting an electric light.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an oflice indicator made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation looking into the casingwith the back removed, and showing a diagram of the electrical connections wlth the casing. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a latch lever.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description of my invention, the numeral 1. designates the casing having a removable back 2, provided with perforated lugs 3 for supporting the casing against the wall or other suitable support. A name plate 4 is secured to the top of the casing and an electric light bulb 5 is disposed in front of the name plate. WVithin the casing a tubular socket 6 is secured to the inner wall of the front portion of the casing, as at 7 and within saidsocket a spring 8 is inserted to project a button 9 provided with a shank 10 which extends within the socket 6 and bears at one upon the spring 8. A lever 11 is pivotally connected at 12 to the inner end of the shank 10 of the button, said lever being pivoted at 13 to a bracket 14 supported upon the inner wall of the front of the casing. Connected to the upper end of the lever 11 is a chain or other suitable flexible connection 15, the op- .posite end of said connection being attached to a door 16 hinged at 17 to the front portion of the casing. The door 16 is held in closed position by a spring latch 18, said latch being operated by means of a crank lever 19 extending through the side of the casing, and provided with an an ularly bent lug or too 20 which engages under the latch 18 for lifting the same when the knob or handle 21 is pressed downward. A card holder 22 is supported within the casing in an inclined position, said card holder adapted to receive a card indicating whether or not the owner of the indicator is at home or to impart other information, within sight of the caller when the door 16 has been opened to the dotted line position in Fig. 2 by pressing upon the button 9 and moving the lever 19. At one side of the casing an inclined slot 23 communicates with the card holder 22 and. permits a card to be inserted therein when the lever 24, which covers the slot, is swung downward out-of the way.

The lever 24 is shown broken away in Fig. 1 in order to expose the slot 23. A contact late 25, secured to the inner wall of the front of the casing, projects inward within the path of the lever 11 in its movement to open the door 16, said contact plate being provided with spaced contact points 26 adapted to be engaged by a knife switch 27 connected to the end of a turn button 28 pivoted in the side of the casing. A name plate 29 may be secured to the front of the casing to contain certain information for callers. The hinge 17 is provided with a spring 80 which tends to throw the door 16 open when the latch 18 is released therefrom.

The electrical connections with the casing consist of the conductors a, b and c, conductor a being connected to the light 5 and to the lever 11 by the branch (Z, and conductor a being connected through the bottom of the casing to a binding post 0, said conductorleading to a suitable bell Conductor 1) leads from the electric light ulb 5 to binding post 9 and thence to conductor 0 to bell, a battery it being disposed in this line. Conductor c is connected to the knife switch 27 The operation of my invention may be briefly described as follows: A caller pressing upon the button 9 and operating the lever 19 opens the door 16 and reads the inscription on the card in card holder 22. If the owner of the indicator is not at home, a card may be inserted through the slot 23 giving certain information from the caller. The owner of the indicator can switch out the light and bell by turning the button 28 whenever required.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that an indicator constructed as described, will be found very convenient for doctors, lawyers, and others who are required to be absent from their office at certain times,

' and which will furnish the required information to callers, and will provide means for conveniently receiving messages from said callers. The device as a Whole occupies but little space, may be made neat and attractive, and can be produced at slight cost.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: v

1. An indicator comprising a casing, a door hinged to the front of said casing, a lever within the casing connected at one end to a push button mounted in a spring socket, the opposite end of said lever being connected to the door, a crank lever, a door latch operated thereby, a card holder within the casing, an electric light bulb above the casing, and electrical connections whereby the electric light is lighted when the push button is operated, substantially as described.

2. In an indicator, a casing provided with a normally closed front door, an indicator card within the casing, a push button, connections between said push button and door,

an indicator bell, and an electric light, and connections between said push button, electric light, and bell set into operation by pushing the button, substantially as described.

3. An office indicator comprising a casing, a door hinged thereto, a press button, connections between said button and door, a card holder, said casing-having a slot in line with said card holder, a lever for covering said slot, an electric light, a bell, and electric connections operated by pushing the button to ring the bell and light the electric light.

4. An office indicator comprising a casing containing a card holder, a door hinged to the casing, a push button, a socket therefor, a spring in the socket, a lever connected to said push button at one end and to the door at the other end, a contact plate in the path of the lever, a switch, a button for operating said switch, a bell, an electric light, and electrical connections for ringing the bell, and lighting the electric light when the button is pushed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY POWELL DAVIS.

Witnesses:

M. J. JACQUES, HENRY H. THORNE. 

